The innovative concept combines an internet book shop that is free of advertising with a traditional book binding service and “print on demand” for the owners of book rights. It provides a link between traditional, high quality craftsmanship and individual design as well as practical online distribution channels.
Book Shop
CALLE ARCO is an internet alternative for people who use to shop in an attractive book shop with personal service. Customers are able to browse through the range of available German and/or English titles in this independent internet bookshop. Delivery is free for orders within Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland and the same applies to orders for delivery within the UK. The website is available in both English and German. The required language can be preset for the books displayed. The platform is free of advertising and is not subject to any bestseller lists. CALLE ARCO is transparent. Readers can search for a title according to their own criteria and they themselves determine which book recommendations they wish to receive. When searching for specific books using key words CALLE ARCO customers are able to search by title, author and ISBN as usual as well as also being able to search the books” short summaries.
Book Refining
The website”s design function gives customers the opportunity to upgrade the books they order with a hardcover based on their own individual or on design templates – from a printed photo jacket through to sophisticated covers such as coloured fabric or genuine leather, for instance, as well as special, out of the ordinary materials such as silk or glittering pink. The individual editions are bound by hand by a bookbinder. The title, author and/or personal dedications are hand embossed on the cover and spine using a traditional stamp or else printed digitally. Specially inserted pages provide space for a printed foreword or a handwritten greeting. Each book is thus transformed into a collector”s item, a unique gift or contribution to your own library. The refined books are always delivered in a special white slipcase.
Special Print Edition Rights
CALLE ARCO provides an additional revenue source on either the B2C or the B2B market for all owners of book rights and print files – be it for “in print” or “out of print” titles or for dormant backlists. Publishers, authors, translators and agents are able to grant CALLE ARCO their special print edition rights and thus profit directly from the royalties – without any investment on their part.
Book Guardianships
Carlos Zafón”s novel The Shadow of the Wind inspired a dream and a vision. All of the “adopted” books in the library of forgotten books in the Calle Arco del Teatro are immortalized and thus able to go on speaking to the people”s hearts. Based on Zafón”s idea, every CALLE ARCO customers can take on a guardianship for out of print books that they would like to see “brought back to life”- irrespective of who holds the “special print edition rights”. CALLE ARCO then endeavours to obtain the printing rights and manuscript copy so as to then be able to make the title available to readers again. The guardian receives bonus points for each of the respective titles sold, points that can then be used for book purchases.